'We Won't Go:' New York Joins National Call For Rent Control

NEW YORK CITY — Aside from protest signs and chants, perhaps the best symbol for the message of a National Day of Action for Rent Control march was the spot where the rally began.

A new luxury building with $2,791-per-month apartments towered over Macri Triangle in Williamsburg, where marchers gathered Wednesday morning. But just across the street, stood an older building, where tenants Robert and Nora Rodriguez fear they may soon be forced to leave after 30 years.

"There are rumors that the new landlord will demolish our building, so they want us out of there," said Nora. "Where are we going if we don’t have $3,000, $4,000 for a house or condominium?"

New York was one of several cities across the nation to host a National Day of Action for Rent Control and demand lawmakers end rent hikes and expand rent control options for their residents.

Protesters argued that various loopholes — such as a vacancy bonus that lets landlords increase rent by 20 percent when a tenant leaves and a new one moves in — have eroded laws meant to protect tenants from rent hikes.

The groups also called for an end to vacancy decontrol, a New York City rent law that allows landlords to permanently deregulate apartments once the rent reaches $2,733 a month.

“Landlords are manipulating the system to hijack the rent and essentially destabilize rent stabilized apartments," said Yadira Dumet, an organizer with St. Nicks Alliance. “This is not acceptable for us — this is a way to displace our communities.”

The groups' platform includes a call to end the vacancy decontrol and vacancy bonus, eliminate a law that lets landlords raise rent to pay for major capital improvements to the building, increase tenant's ability to take legal action and other expansions to rent control.

Many of the demands are part of a list of legislation Democratic lawmakers have said they will pursue now that they have control of the state legislature. Detractors have said the current laws ensure owners have enough money to maintain their rental buildings.

Most tenants who shared their stories contended that Williamsburg has become a hot spot for landlords taking advantage of these laws. And, despite development booms throughout Brooklyn, they said even new buildings designated as "affordable" are out of the price range for most long-time residents, especially in communities of color.

“It’s not fair looking up at these huge, beautiful buildings and knowing they are not for me," said Emely Rodriguez, a student organizer with Churches United for Fair Housing.

The protesters specifically called out owners of 371 South 5th St., where tenants have started a rent strike to protest poor conditions, and 296-298 North 8th St., where more than half the apartments stand empty and building issues go unfixed, tenants said.

Ink Property Group bought the North Eighth Street properties two years ago and quickly began offering financial incentives for existing residents to leave, said tenants.

An Ink Property Group representative told Patch that the company is working to solve issues in the building, but has been stalled in the permitting process with the city. The representative said tenants who left asked to do so.

Tenant groups at the rally said the national protest is just the beginning of their plans to advocate this year.

“We’re standing here to say we’re staying and we won’t go," Dumet said. "2019 is the 'year of the tenant.'"

Owners of the South Fifth Street property were not immediately available to comment.

Photos by Anna Quinn/Patch.